Emma Raducanu addresses her Indian Wells exit after "very difficult" match in "tough conditions"

Emma Raducanu reflected on her 2025 Indian Wells performance after she crashed out of the tournament on Thursday, March 6. The Brit noted that she had a hard time overcoming the “tough conditions.”

Raducanu’s stay in Tennis Paradise was cut short as she suffered a 6-3, 6-2 defeat at the hands of Japan’s Moyuka Uchijima in the first round, winning just three of her eight service games. This was her sixth loss of the season against a mere three victories, having won just one of her last seven matches.

Indian Wells has traditionally been Emma Raducanu’s most successful WTA 1000 event, with a fourth-round run in 2023 being her best result. This time, she was defending her third-round appearance from last year, which means she relinquishes a few ranking points and risks dropping out of the top 60 ahead of the Miami Open.

After her defeat to Uchijima, Raducanu said in the press conference:

"I think it was just a very difficult match for me. I think it was tough conditions, difficult ball from my opponent.

"I tried to be aggressive; I tried to make the ball. But, yeah, I guess it didn't work today," Emma Raducanu added.

Raducanu and all players competing at Indian Wells on Thursday were faced with extremely windy conditions. Notably, the wind is said to affect the tournament’s main court the most, which is where the Brit played her opening match.

"A bit of a lack of preparation on the tennis court, playing someone who played pretty good in these conditions, I mean, extremely awkward in the wind here," she said.

Emma Raducanu was, however, appreciative of the atmosphere and conveyed that she would be shifting her focus to her next challenge.

"I mean, I had great support around me. I was feeling pretty good. I think today was just a bit of a curveball. But, yeah, I guess it's just nice, I guess I'm just going to move on."

Raducanu was accompanied by her interim coach Tom Welsh and fitness coach Yutaka Nakamura at the WTA 1000 event. Just a day before her match, the Brit, who is on the hunt for a new coach after her separation from Nick Cavaday, was also joined by Vladimir Platenik.

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Emma Raducanu after Indian Wells exit: "You have to just overcome whatever hurdles that come your way"

Raducanu pictured at the 2025 BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells - Image Source: Getty

Notably, Emma Raducanu was unsure whether she would contest the Indian Wells title, considering her turbulent Dubai campaign, which ended in a second-round loss and a stalker scare.

According to her pre-tournament conversation with the media, the Brit was just happy to have shown up and resumed her journey at Indian Wells. She clarified that she wasn’t preoccupied in any way during her loss to Uchijima.

"Yeah, I didn't have what happened in Dubai in my head at all today."

The 2021 US Open champion added:

"But I think it depends what sorts of frame of mind you're in. I think all the players will say, you know, if they're feeling good, like, it's great. If they're not, like, it can be more difficult and challenging. You have to just overcome whatever hurdles that come your way and just keep going forward."

Emma Raducanu is expected to compete at the Miami Open next, where she will again chase for her career’s second title after the historic win in New York.